Cyclists endanger motorists

By Bill Krawietz, Guest Columnist :
April 24, 2013

It seems that more and more bicyclists from San Antonio are coming to Bulverde to ride on our streets. They say what attracts them is the wide open streets, picturesque scenery and rolling terrain.

To me there is a flaw in their reasoning. Our streets are not wide open. Most of our roadways lack any type of shoulder. As the roads wind through the hills they also are lacking any kind of safe-sight distance.

I was sitting in the parking lot of the post office April 15 when suddenly there was a loud and abrupt knock on my truck window. It turns out that a couple of cyclists did not like me passing them between Luke's Chevron and Bulverde Hills Drive.

Traffic was quite heavy at the time. School had just let out, there was a scramble to get income tax checks mailed and the evening rush was beginning. My patience was already worn thin and being stuck behind a couple of slow-moving cyclists riding side-by-side did not help.

So I gave a brief tap on the horn. The cyclists changed formation to single file. Then a break in traffic gave me the opportunity to accelerate and pass on a stretch of road that has a double-yellow center stripe which you can't cross.

I had to pass them quickly, but nobody was hurt and there were no close calls.

When someone is dressed in their work clothing and using a bicycle to get to work, that's one thing.

However, it's another matter when someone is joyriding on an expensive bicycle all decked out in riding attire on probably the most dangerous roadway in the city.

What can we do? The cyclists do legally have a right to the road with some exceptions, but does this mean all motor vehicle traffic must suffer?

When and where these cyclists pick to ride is the real problem. They should stay to the less traveled roads at off-peak hours. They are only endangering themselves, the motorists behind them and those coming from the opposite direction.

For those at the post office that afternoon and heard me unleash on this pair, I apologize.

To the cyclists, just because you have the right to come and use our roads does not mean you are exempt from common sense. Pick your route wisely.

The last thing we want to do is to start ramping up citations for the littlest infractions to get you to notice.